Personal stuff that doesn’t fall under a quilting category. This is about me.
So, I decided to upload some videos of my fur babies, and this one seems to be a hit. Our cat loves the double-headed massager, so I recorded his reactions at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm2bX2AMrTE.
I’m not sure if he thinks it is purring or if he just likes the feel of it. I hope you enjoy it!
Since the reason I went to Quilting on the Square yesterday was to get back that feeling I had when I lived in a small town, I thought I’d share with you some of the pictures of our house in a small town in Indiana. Our house was next to the county library and a block from our own town square.
The courthouse sits in the middle of the Town Square (photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
This house was built around 1893.
And, this is what it looked like when we lived there a few years ago. Needless to say, we had lots of Trick-or-Treaters on Halloween.
As they came up to the front doors, they found 2 very tall doors that would open wide for large items to pass through.
Just on the other side of that door, was a lot of original woodwork and the charm of the Victorian era.
Barrel (curved) walls and original parquet floors in the entryway… You can also see 1 of the 3 fireplaces in the front parlor.
The other 2 fireplaces are in the dining room on the left and the back parlor (living room) on the right.
Old houses are not all glam and glitz. There is a lot of work and expense with upkeep. I stripped 3 thick layers of flooring off the kitchen and laundry room floors to get to the original pine flooring. When we bought the house, it was in good condition, but we added a lot of work and money to put the charm back into the house.
The monster, killer rosebush. I hated that thing. It was beautiful, but its limbs and thorns were so thick – you certainly did not want to get caught in its “grasp.” See the tree face up yonder? That’s on one of those original “stick” trees in the black and white picture of the house above.
I had 15 rose bushes, several flower beds and lots and lots of Hostas. Hostas lined the other side of the garage and the front porch. We also had 3 arbors. Clematis was growing on this one, and Wisteria was growing on the third arbor. Little did I know how invasive Wisteria was!
I could get anything to grow in that black soil. This sunflower was the tallest I’ve ever seen; it towered above my garage.
Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed your visit to my old house. You never know what’s inside of those old, scraggly looking houses. Like old people, old houses may be weathered, but you may find some jewels inside and well worth the visit.
I have been wanting to learn how to dye for the longest time, now; many years, in fact – it’s on my Bucket List. I’ve looked in to classes, but they either don’t seem to work out with my schedule or they cost too much. An acquaintance of mine said she’d arrange for a dyeing class so I could finally learn, but it hasn’t happened yet. So, I got tired of waiting and decided to do some research and teach myself how to dye. I found a 6-shade value kit that is reasonably priced at www.handsonhanddyes.com so I bought it and set to work learning how to dye today. Cindy Lohbeck, the owner of Hands on Hand Dyes, does an excellent job of explaining the process in writing.
Dyeing can be a messy process. One of the suggestions was to put the cups for dyeing into a large plastic bin. I am so glad I did, as you can see how the dye spilled over the edges. You can also use a plastic table cloth and newspapers to soak up the drips, too. Can you already see that there are 6 shades of the same color?
And, here are the finished products; 6 gradations of the Red Red Wine kit from Hands on Hand Dyes. I had a hard time choosing just one color/package, because they all looked so yummy. But, in the end, I chose this color for one reason. I am making the Opportunity Quilt for one of the quilting guilds I belong to, and I haven’t been able to find the right color. I thought maybe this would come close. A few weeks back, when I went to Colorado, I bought fabric at 3 different quilt stores in hopes of finding the right color of rose to match some of the flowers in the main fabric of the Opportunity Quilt. When I got them home and compared them to the base fabric, only a couple of them would work. Well, guess what? These dyed fat quarters will be perfect for the applique I will be adding to the quilt.
An added surprise that I found in one of the fat quarters I had dyed was that the scrunching I had done to produce the mottled effect made 2 hearts right in the middle of the fabric.
Cool, huh?
For those of you who do or do not know me personally, here is the latest update on my left eye. This may well be the most boring of my posts yet! 😉 I basically only have one eye that I use to quilt with. Right now I almost cannot see at all out of my left eye. It’s like looking through a cloud. But, I just had a tube shunt put into my left eye on Monday to help control the pressure in that eye (my bad eye). I think good eye pressure numbers are between 15 and 20. Mine has been as high as 46.
But, I’ve had several surgeries on that eye, so it’s been a little pissed off and rightfully so. Hopefully, as my eye heals from this latest surgery, the “cloud” will clear up to wax paper vision, so I’ve got better peripheral vision in that left eye when I drive. Yes, I can drive. I am legally blind in that left eye, but so far my right eye is playing nice so that I can continue to drive. I don’t yet feel comfortable being the driver with passengers (other than my dogs).
Cataracts tend to develop over several years before the eye doctors will do surgery… something about not being able to correct your vision with 20/50 lenses or better. So, by the time you get your cataracts removed and a new lens put in, you have difficulty reading huge letters and numbers (like the price of gas on those big signs at gas stations – that huge). I had cataract surgery on my left eye February, 2011 and on my right eye in April, 2011. By the end of September, 2011 I started having serious problems with my left eye. Apparently, the retina had detached several months before with no symptoms in my vision. Because it had been detached for so long, there were now rips and tears, holes, and LOTS of scar tissue building up in there.
My first retinal surgery was the end of September, 2011. They removed what scar tissue they could and repaired what damage they could. They also put oil in my eye instead of a gas bubble. That meant that I’d have to get the oil removed later with another surgery. I think the decision for the oil instead of the gas bubble was to help hold things in place longer and with less restrictions. By the time they were ready to do my next surgery to remove the oil and put a gas bubble in its place, my eye pressure was up to 46. Drops helped the pressure, but it liked to hover in the 30s.
So, my second retinal surgery was the mid/late January, 2012 when they put a gas bubble in my eye which was dissipating quickly. My retina detached a little over a week later. My third retina surgery was February 6, 2012. This time they put a scleral buckle around my eyeball, hopefully to hold the retina in place better. That surgery was very painful with painful lingering effects.
My spirits were soooo down during this time. After retina surgery, you have to lay flat in some way. I had to lay face-down for 24 hours after my first surgery and then on my sides for the next week or more. After each retinal surgery, the restrictions increased with the surgeries in 2012 resulting in me not being allowed to do anything at all other than lay on my left side – it made for a painful cauliflower ear. I wasn’t allowed to read or use the computer for weeks and not allowed to sew either. Nor was I allowed to get up and move around or do any chores.
With nothing but time on your hand, the thoughts that go through your mind are very depressing and “trying” to your spirits. I really did want to die, especially if I would have to have another retinal surgery. I can’t tell you how difficult it is for me to just sit or lay and do nothing. It was quite a mental struggle for me – I had reached rock bottom. During this time I tried to figure out “why.” Why had this happened to me and why was I required to lay there in solitude and emptiness and do nothing? I believe things happen for a reason, so I figured the lesson I was supposed to learn was to stop over-doing and always doing stuff. Slow down and smell the coffee. Life is short – we shouldn’t be in such a rush as to take it and the people in our lives for granted. Through this I learned that people’s feelings play such a bigger role in their being than I’d ever imagined. We tend to get so crazy busy with our lives that we forget how our actions and words will affect others.
So, for now, my goal is to bring beauty to the world of others through my quilting, through providing knowledge for others about the different aspects of quilting, and through acceptance of the differing personalities in the world, but also through trying to make all feel accepted, vital and special in their part and gifts to our world.
Yes, with each eye surgery I will lose a bit more physical vision and I risk another retinal detachment each time they poke or dig around in my eye. Also, I am dealing with lattice degeneration in my “good” right eye, which means that the retina will most likely detach in my right eye in time. But, as I deal with the loss of physical vision, I think I’ve learned to see things more clearly in the emotional and sensual realm. In time I may become legally blind in both eyes, but I will continue to “see” in different ways. And, I will surely quilt until the day I die regardless of whether or not I can “see” what I’m doing. Otherwise, my spirit truly will die – my quilting is my lifeline. I hope that sharing it with you will provide a lifeline for you as well.
Here is a quilt I made with one eye.
And, here is the detail stitching that I put in it of a fairy smelling the flower (using one eyeball).
By the way, this quilt was juried and made it into the American Quilter’s Society show in Grand Rapids, Michigan August 22-25, 2012.
The point is… things happen to us, but it’s how we choose to react that makes us who we are.
A recent study indicated that fabric gives off certain Pheromones that actually hypnotize women and cause them to purchase unreasonable amounts. When stored in large quantities in enclosed spaces, the Pheromones (in the fabric) causes memory loss and induces the nesting syndrome (similar to the one squirrels have before the onset of winter i.e., storing food). Therefore perpetuating their species and not having a population loss due to their kind being cut into pieces and mixed with others.
Sound tests have also revealed that these fabrics emit a very high pitched sound, heard only by a select few, a breed of women know as “quilters.” When played backwards on an LP, the sounds are heard as chants, “buy me, cut me and sew me.” In order to overcome the so called “feeding frenzy effect” that these fabrics cause, one must wear a face mask when entering a storage facility and use ear plugs to avoid being pulled into their grip. One must laugh, however, at the sight of customers in a quilt fabric store, with WWII army gas masks and headphones!
Studies have also indicated that aliens have inhabited the earth, helping to spread the effects that these fabrics have on the human population. They are called QUILT FABRIC STORE CLERKS. It’s also been experienced that these same Pheromones cause a pathological need to hide these fabric purchases when taken home (or at least blend them into the existing stash), and when asked by significant other if the fabric is new, the reply is “I’ve had it for awhile.”
~ Kathy Smith Harris, 1997
Since I have been listening to The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon on CDs while I am quilting, it seems only fitting that I attend a Scottish Festival of sorts. I am up to the 4th book in the series, “Drums of Autumn” and loving every minute of her books. Jamie Fraser was in the Battle of Culloden in one of the books, and I heard a bit about Culloden today. It sounds like Culloden really was the turning point in Highland history as far as when the Scots were “ethnically cleansed” by the English. They were made to swear loyalty to England, give up their kilts and way of dress, were forbidden to speak Gaelic, etc. Kind of makes me sad, so it was an honor today to get to see some of the Scottish culture and heritage that was taken from them.
We saw lots of men in kilts at the Scottish Highland Games & Celtic Festival today. Actually, there were women in kilts as well and lots of plaid! When asked what they wore under their kilts, one answer was shoes and socks.
The first group we ran up on were a few bagpipers…
This next picture of me is on our way to the Heritage & Culture tent where we were greeted by many “clans” of ticks. Truly! We were listening to a man talk about the history of kilts, how they are folded and worn, etc. and we must have had 10 or more ticks jump on us. They were jumping, and not in a good way!
The bagpipe & drums band was really good.
They looked so regal marching past us.
My husband’s clan is Clan Donald or Clan McDonald, depending on which day it is. ;o) When the Clans marched past, his clan had 5 representatives.
They also had the biggest tent along Clan Row. The Donalds and McDonalds, along with the McDonnell’s are in an area (Isle of Skye) near where Clan Stewart lived in the times before the Battle of Culloden. The McDonalds and other clans fought for Charles Stewart, protecting Scotland for Charles to be their future king. It didn’t work. The Scots were slaughtered and made to deny their heritage and claim loyalty to the English. From what I understand, the clan of my father is the Sutherland Clan. You’d think Sutherland would stand for southern land, but no. They are in the northern area. Go figure!
The highlight and most memorable part of the day was when we decided to get something to eat. Haggis is well known as a Scottish food. Have any of you tried it? We never have, so I told my husband that if he would try it, I would. He said he didn’t like it. He’s never tried it, though, so my question for him was how he knew he didn’t like it if he had never even tried it. So, there we were, standing in line…
The menu said it had sheep heart and liver in it, but doesn’t it look like a mixture of hamburger and CAKE?
Then we tried it. First my husband, and then me.
Oh God! Oh. God. Words can’t describe the taste – it’s just a weird taste that needs time in order to be an acquired taste.
My husband’s eye looks like it’s going to tear after trying it. I wanted to rub my tongue on asphalt after trying it! All I know is that I wanted a big pickle and some beer (and I’m not a beer drinker) afterwards to bury the taste. My mouth still draws up just thinking about it. You’ve seen those videos of babies being fed something they don’t like, haven’t you? That’s the look. When someone dares you to try it, you can stomach it, but make sure you have something to kill the taste afterwards, and not just a can of pop! That didn’t work for me!
Anyhow, I’m glad I got the opportunity for today’s cultural experience, and I’m glad that I got to try Haggis. We are all different, and you have to appreciate someone having the courage to eat haggis on a regular basis.
Ever have one of those days where you open and close the refrigerator door again and again, hoping that something good to eat will magically appear the next time you open it? <sigh> Yes, that happened to me yesterday. The Dutch Apple Pie from the night before was calling to me, and I couldn’t see beyond that. Problem is, it’s easy to “prepare” it to eat. It’s done! No preparation required… the problem with dieting and trying to eat healthy.
So, as I was trying to convince myself to eat something healthy, my pea brain starting thinking, “Wait! Apples are healthy! And, that crust is made from wheat.” Hmm… that covers the fruit/vegetable and grain food groups. And, we always need to eat more fruits and vegetables. “Nah. I really should look for something better for me.” But my brain and stomach were trying to convince me that it WAS good for me, especially since I don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. “Okay,” I happily resigned.
Now I needed some meat or protein. Nothing good in that fridge! Well, nothing was popping out at me. I reasoned that since I was eating pie for lunch, a PayDay candy bar couldn’t be that bad. After all, there are nuts in it! There’s my protein. Okay, what about the dairy group? I could have a glass of milk.
By the time I dished out the pie, I decided that ice cream with pie would qualify for the dairy group. And, who wouldn’t like to top it off with a PayDay? I’d drink healthy water with it and vowed to eat better at supper time. Sometimes you’ve just gotta play and have a PayDay.
Happy Sunday morning! We so needed the rain today, a good atmosphere for quilting! After all the eye surgeries, and working like a cyclops, I am finally finished with my latest quilt. I was one of 615 participants in the SOTTT (Sisterhood of the Traveling Triangles) exchange. Edyta Sitar was on The Quilt Show with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims showing quilts that could be made with fabric exchanges. That’s when Debbie posted on the forum that she would like to start a Half Square Triangle exchange. Little did she know the work involved! Anyhow, it grew into 615 participants from around the world. I had a lot of fun putting the quilt from this exchange together and then quilting it. 
So, it’s off to get to the rest of my neglected house and to the quilt guild meeting this week! Have a super week!
Cowtown Quilts 